F. Scott Fitzgerald's

The Great Gatsby

Author Background

F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby, was an American short-story writer and novelist that was known for his sense of jazz. The depiction of jazz came about in his brilliant novel, The Great Gatsby, in 1925. At the age of 24, the accomplishment of his first novel, This Side of Paradise, made him famous. Fitzgerald had a wife, Zelda, and they lived in both America and France. He was born on September 24, 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota, to parents Edward and Mary Fitzgerald. Towards the end of his career, he authored the novel, Tender Is the Night, which was not a success and he ended up moving to Hollywood to become a script writer.

Why the Book was Banned

When reading this novel, it is obvious as to why it has been banned. The Great Gatsby portrayed sexual and shocking language references. The affair between Jay Gatsby, who was the mysterious millionaire, and the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan, was referred to be described in intimate detail. Moreover, religious groups during this time period did not approve of the alcoholic beverages and partying that occurred during this era. The first attempt to ban the novel was in 1897, from the Baptist College in Charleston, SC. Furthermore, the novel portrayed the American dream in a negative way, being that a man with wealth and fame will not acquire happiness.